Dental X-ray film package



Patented Jan. 4, 1938 I STATES DENTAL-X-RAY FILM PACKAGE Jacob A. Saffir, Rockford, IlL, assignor to Jacob William Frankel, Chicago, Ill.

J Application -Augustf 14, 1936, @S'erial --No. 95,965

' 71 Claims. (01. -250 34) i 'This invention relates to packages of sensitized films prepared for-use in oral X-ray work.

An object of this invention is to provide a with'less effort on the technicianspart and with package, practically identical in appearance and 5. size with the X-ray film packages now in usefor intra-oral radiography; but 'with the added feature that each package permits successive exposures oftwo'similar or two different-areas,

instead of being limited to a single exposure as" 1 is now the case.

A further object of this invention is tomake favailable to the dentist and physician dental f-X-ray'films at a greatly reduced cost. There "are many-cases where X-rays' of the entire oral 1'5 'cavity should be takenybut because ofthecost are not taken at 'all or perhaps aretaken of one or two .teeth. 'Withthis'invention the number of film packages needed for taking X-rays of the entire oral'cavity is halvedpwhereb-y the total cost 20' of the film packages'needed is considerably re- 'duced; This factor, together with some of the E1 further advantages listed below will place oral if: radiography within reach of a greater number iI' ofpeople.

It is a still further object of this invention to 1,":- provide afilm package "whichwill' save time in] "f dark-room"manipulation andi'm'ake easier the iv'work performed there. Consider, for example,

thei' number of radiographs required for afull 0 "mouth examination. Usually fromten to fourteen. radiographs must be taken, and aromai' spbndlng Lnumber of "film packages must be opened in'the'darkroom: With the use of applilcants. invention, one-half. that number of film 1 35 packages, or only'from" five to seven, have to be -opened. 'ZThe'reis thus asaving of'about: half the time on that operation alone.

ifAn'other' object of this invention is t'o'remove ""some of the discomfort sometimesattendant'upon 50 duced.

A still further. advantage of.this invention, which is of great value to the X-ray technician, is the saving of time. A'great part of the time expended during the taking of oral radiographs 55 is. occupied in. going after and reaching for a 'new film, properly bending it, and then placing it in the oral cavity in the correct picture taking position. With this invention, after the film is used once, it need but be turned and shifted for 60 the second exposure. Since only half the number of film packages have to be reached for and placed-into the oral cavity, the entire procedure of taking a full month X-ray can be performed greater-comfort to the patient, in much less time than is now'required.

-The attainment of the above and-further objects ofythe present invention will be apparent from thefollowing specifications, taken in conjunction with'the accompanying-drawing form" ing a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through the package with the wrappings thereof expanded transversely to illustrate the manner in which" modification of the invention.

.Figure 5 shows still another modification em ploying more than two films.

Figure 6 is a View of one of ithesides of the outside of the film package completely wrapped.

Figure 7 is a view of the film positioned directly below the side shown in Figure 6. v

Figure 8 is a view of the side of the film package opposite the side shown in Figure 6.

' Figure 9 shows the film positioned below the side illustrated in Figure 8.

A detailed description of my improved X-ray film package will now be given.

Similar numerals indicate similar structures in in the various figures of the drawing.

In Figure 1, at 2 and at 2' is the outer wrapping which is lightproof. At 3, 5, l, and 9 are thin sheets of black paper which protect the sensitive films, shown at 4 and 8, from being scratched or marred. At 6 is a member which, for all practical purposes is radio-opaque. It consists of a strip of lead foil, although other radio-opaque materials which are very numerous, can be employed; The purpose of this strip is to prevent injury or spoilage of one film by X-rays when the other film is being exposed.

The thickness of the sheet of radio-opaque .material 6, usually lead, is such as not to permit X-rays to penetrate through it. Inasmuch as the longest exposure used in the mouth is ionly several seconds, this sheet o-fylead need not be very thick, but of foil proportions. The ends of the wrapper slightly overlap, as indicated at M, and .are joined by pasting or crimping or other means. The package is of wafer form for insertion into the mouth and of suflicient flexibility to permit the same to be bent into approximate conformance with the shape of the adjacent parts of the oral cavity to bring the film package into proper picture taking position, as is usual in the art.

Figure 2 shows a modified form of film package in that the thin black paper protections for the film are left out inasmuch as they are not entirely necessary and can be dispensed with if desired. Here, again 2 and 2 indicate the outer wrapping, 4 and 8 indicate the films and at 6 is the sheet of radio-opaque material.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the package shown in Figure 2, the various layers being spread apart for clearness.

Figure 4 shows another modified form of this invention, in which but a single film is used, as is shown at H]. The film is bent around the radio-opaque member. Thus the two pictures which are taken successively on the film l0 are developed in one strip. The small part of the film which winds around the end of the radioopaque member 6, shown at l2, will possibly be spoiled and have to be trimmed off, because the rays will strike it each time the film is exposed. However, this is not the picture taking part of the film.

Figure 5 shows modification wherein more thanone film is exposed with each exposure. It is often desirable to have two copies of each X- ray picture made. In this package photographic images will be formed on two films with each exposure. Thus if side 2 is exposed, film 4 and 4' will have identical images produced on them. Then if the side 2 is exposed films 8 and 8 will have identical images produced on them.

Necessarily the two sides of the package may look very similar and in the Figures 6 and 8 is shown a manner of marking to indicate which side has already been exposed. At [5 is shown the markings. on the other side the words tube side 2, or just the numerals I or 2, or A and B etc., may be used to difierentiate one side from the other.

When the films are developed, they too may have some identifying mark. Figures '7 and 9 show such films. In one corner the numeral or identifying mark which appeared on the outside of the package is embossed, as is shown at l8 in Figure 7 and at 2i in Figure 9.

It is apparent from the description thus far given that I have provided a dental X-ray film package which may be. used for taking two successive pictures of the same or of different areas of the mouth. The package may be provided to give duplicate pictures of each of the two exposures, as in Figure 5, or single pictures of each of the two exposures, as in Figures 1 and 2. In exterior appearance the package may be of the same shape as the present day usual form of dental X-ray film packages. The package is of wafer thickness, and is of sufficient flexibility so that it may be bent to conform with the contour of the regions of the mouth adjacent the film package, as is now the standard practice with dental X-ray film packages adapted for only a single photographic exposure.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have herein shown and'described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements On one side labeled tube side I herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of .my invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An X-ray film package comprising at least two superimposed upwrapped X-ray sensitive films with X-ray opaque material between them, and a light-opaque X-ray-transparent enclosure for the films.

An X-ray film package having at least two sensitized films enclosed within a light-proof wrapping and means between the films for protecting one film from X-rays when the other is exposed, whereby each sensitized film is independently exposable.

3. A dental X-ray film package'comprising a fiat package of wafer thickness and of sufficient flexibility for insertion into the mouth and bending into X-ray picture taking relation to the teeth, said package containing at least two X-ray films with an X-ray opaque member between them.

'4. An X-ray film package comprising an X-ray opaque member, means forming X-ray sensitive surfaces on opposite sides of the member and means forming a light proof but X-ray pervious wrapping around the sensitive surfaces and the member, whereby X-rays on either side .of the package will penetrate the wrapping and affect the X-ray sensitive surface between the X-ray source and the opaque member while leaving the X-ray surface on the other side of the opaque member in X-ray taking condition.

5. An X-ray film package comprising an X-ray opaque member, a single film folded around themember to form X-ray sensitive surfaces on opposite sides of the member and means forming a light proof but X-ray pervious wrapping around the sensitive surfaces, whereby X-rays on either side of the package will penetrate the wrapping and aiTect the X -ray sensitive surfacebetween the X-ray source and the opaque member while leaving the X-ray surface on the other side of the opaque member in X-ray taking condition.

6. A dental X-ray film package of wafer thickness and of sufficient flexibility to permit insertion into the human mouth in X-ray picture taking relation to the teeth, said package including, a thin. flexible X-ray opaque member, a pair of X-ray films on one side of the member, a. pair of X-ray films on the opposite side of the member whereby duplicate images may be made on either pair of films while the intermediate member protects the other pair of films against X-ray exposure, and a light-proof X-ray-transparent wrapping for the member and the four films.

7. A dental X-ray film package of wafer thickness and of suificient flexibility to permit insertion into the human mouth in X-ray picture taking relation to the teeth, said package including a thin flexible X-ray opaque member, means forming X-ray sensitive photographing surfaces on opposite sides of the member so that X-ray images may be formed on the surfaces selectively by rays entering the package from opposite sides thereof, and a light-proof X-ray-transparent wrapping for the member and the means forming the X-ray sensitive surfaces.

JACOB A. SAFFIRQ 

